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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867857">The River Banshee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanilla_Owns_Chocolate/pseuds/Vanilla_Owns_Chocolate'>Vanilla_Owns_Chocolate</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dark Forest (Warriors), Foreshadowing, Horror, Inspired By Tumblr, Nightmares, Past Character Death, its spooky season lads!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:54:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867857</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanilla_Owns_Chocolate/pseuds/Vanilla_Owns_Chocolate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Squirrelpaw becomes obsessed with a certain story.</p><p>For some reason, Leafpaw can't get it out of her mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The River Banshee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HAPPY OCTOBER......i was inspired by this incredible post/fanfic and got an idea based on the concept!!! https://madmozarteanfelinefantasy.tumblr.com/post/189247217125/what-if-over-time-as-generations-pass-the</p><p>huge thanks to the op (madmozarteanfelinefantasty.tumblr.com) for giving me permission to write this story!!! pls go check em out, they post a lot of Cool Warrior Cats Content and also have their own webcomic called ensemble (ensemblecomic.tumblr.com) and a design blog (lost-at-fourtrees.tumblr.com) so give em a looksee!!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"...and some say she still roams the forest, searching for the next ThunderClan cat foolish enough to set paw by the river."</p><p>Squirrelpaw finished her story with a wicked gleam in her eyes, studying the other apprentices' faces for a reaction. Leafpaw hoped her own terror wasn't obvious. She didn't want to give her sister the satisfaction of knowing that her little tale had scared the daylights out of her.</p><p>Sorrelpaw spoke first, clearly unafraid. "Spooky," she said, "but it's not real, is it?"</p><p>Squirrelpaw looked offended. "Of course it's real! Dustpelt told me all about it!"</p><p>All eyes in the den turned to Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw, who fidgeted uncomfortably. "I mean...he told me the same story, but also said that he, uh, heard it from an elder that he knew when he was an apprentice." Spiderpaw explained.</p><p>That seemed to settle it. The rest of the apprentices rolled their eyes and flicked their tails, much to the dismay of Squirrelpaw.</p><p>"Hey!" she protested. "That doesn't mean it isn't true! We believe all the stories <em>our </em>elders tell us, don't we?"</p><p>"Well, yeah, but..." Rainpaw shrugged. "That's different. They don't try to scare us with silly queen's tales."</p><p>Squirrelpaw scoffed. "Ugh, whatever. The River Banshee is real. You believe me, right, Leafpaw?"</p><p>Leafpaw froze as all the attention was turned on her. She wished her sister wasn't so good at picking up how she was feeling. It would be useless to try and lie to her; the two of them had always had a special connection that allowed them to sense each other's emotions.</p><p>Still, she could probably get away with telling a half-truth, since the rest of the apprentices were staring at her. Taking a deep breath, she murmured, "I think...it's scary, but we don't have any real proof that it happened. It could be real. But it also couldn't."</p><p>Squirrelpaw looked mildly annoyed, but didn't question her any further. Leafpaw's answer seemed to satisfy the others, who were already tucking back into their nests.</p><p>"I still don't think a cat can just transform like that," Sootpaw muttered, "but I guess anything can happen to a cat that's been cursed by StarClan."</p><p><em>Cursed by StarClan. </em>Leafpaw didn't like the way he said that. Just the thought of it was horrible--a cat's own warrior ancestors turning their backs on you, shutting you out from their starry ranks. Leafpaw wouldn't have wished that on any cat, not even one as horrible as the River Banshee.</p><p>"Leafpaw?" Cinderpelt called from the medicine den. "It's getting late. Are you coming?"</p><p>Leafpaw's head shot up. She had been so caught up in her sister's story that she had failed to notice how dark it was getting. "Coming!" she called back, rising to her paws. She nuzzled her sister farewell, padding off to join her mentor for the night. She wished she could sleep with the other apprentices, but being a medicine cat meant slumbering in the rocky clearing, surrounded by the smell of herbs.</p><p>"There you are!" Cinderpelt said when Leafpaw arrived. "Were you with your sister and the others?"</p><p>"Yeah." Leafpaw nodded. "Squirrelpaw was telling us some story that Dustpelt told her. It's probably not real, though."</p><p>Cinderpelt smiled wryly. "Ah, the River Bashee? Yes, the elders loved that story back when I was an apprentice. Brackenfur used to be so scared of it." Her eyes glimmered with nostalgia for a moment before she gestured to the den with her tail. "Well, you don't have to worry about that. It's just an old queen's tale, nothing more."</p><p>Somehow, her mentor's words comforted Leafpaw more than her fellow apprentices'. She followed Cinderpelt into the crack in the rock, settling down into her brand new nest. Despite the den's small size, she still couldn't believe how lucky she was to be a medicine cat apprentice. She was destined to heal her Clanmates in times of need, destined to have a special connection with StarClan.</p><p><em>Unlike that cursed River Banshee, </em>a voice in her head whispered with dismay. Leafpaw blinked, surprised at her own thoughts. Why would she feel pity for the River Banshee? Surely a creature as horrible as her deserved to be cursed. She had killed other cats, including her own Clanmates! StarClan had every right to turn their backs on her. And yet...</p><p>It wasn't her fault her kits were cursed. The kits hadn't done anything wrong, had they? If the Banshee's Clan had really cared about the warrior code, they wouldn't have exiled those innocent kits just for looking different. How many kits were there, again? Three? Three innocent kits. Three innocent, cursed kits.</p><p>Leafpaw shook her head. She didn't have time to think about that now. The moon was rising, and it was time for her to sleep. She settled down in her nest a few mouse-lengths away from Cinderpelt, stretching her jaws wide in a yawn.</p><p>"Goodnight, Cinderpelt," she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut.</p><p>"Goodnight, Leafpaw," Cinderpelt replied, her voice just as heavy with sleep. "Sweet dreams." Then, she added playfully, "Don't let the River Banshee get you."</p><p>For some reason, Leafpaw felt her stomach churn at those words.</p>
<hr/><p>From then on, Squirrelpaw was obsessed with the River Banshee. Not a single day had gone by without her referencing the story to almost every cat she talked to. Most warriors dismissed her with a chuckle or an eyeroll, perhaps accompanied by a small mutter of, "Apprentices." Squirrelpaw was undeterred; she had never been the type to care about what other cats thought of her. Her morbid fascination with the River Banshee was more powerful than any kind of self-consciousness.</p><p>Leafpaw, however, wasn't nearly as enthusiastic.</p><p>She <em>hated</em> the River Banshee, hated it with all her heart. The more Squirrelpaw told the story, the more she started to dislike it. The elders were starting to become bothered by Squirrelpaw constantly pressing them about it, and the kits in the nursery were becoming too terrified to sleep. Leafpaw, being the medicine cat apprentice, had to hear about their distress every time she checked in on them.</p><p>But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part, which Leafpaw was embarrassed to admit to herself, was her growing fear of the Banshee. Some part of her - a part that had once been small but now seemed to grow every day - dreaded being alone for too long. She worried she'd turn around and find the Banshee standing in the distance, watching her with blood-red eyes. She worried she'd wake up in the middle of the night to see the Banshee standing over her nest, mouth split into a wide grin. Most of all, she worried about Squirrelpaw, who appeared to have no fears whatsoever. In fact, she seemed <em>excited </em>by the thought of the Banshee's existence, perhaps because she considered herself strong enough to take on a monstrous creature that was surely twice the size of a normal cat.</p><p>Leafpaw sat on one of the smooth, flat stones of Sunningrocks, trying to bask in the sun's warm light and ease her troubled mind. But it was hard to relax when her eyes were drawn to the small stones, trying to determine which ones were once the River Banshee's kits.</p><p>Squirrelpaw, always observant when it came to her sister, noticed it right away. "Thinking about the Banshee?" she asked, her eyes glimmering. "Me, too. This is where her kits died, you know."</p><p>Leafpaw shuddered, batting at her with a paw. "Don't say that!" she groaned. "I hate to think of those poor kits. They didn't deserve what happened to them."</p><p>To her surprise, Squirrelpaw nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I know. I feel bad for them, too." She paused, her gaze travelling over to the rocks Leafpaw had been observing. "But that doesn't excuse what the Banshee did. Can you imagine killing your own Clanmates? Or the cat you loved?"</p><p>Leafpaw shook her head. The thought of taking the life of one of her fellow ThunderClan cats, no matter how well she knew them, made her sick to her stomach. She didn't know why Squirrelpaw was so fascinated by it, even if she didn't condone the Banshee's actions.</p><p>"If that Banshee was here," Squirrelpaw said suddenly, "I'd fight her off! No Banshee would stand a chance against me."</p><p>Leafpaw sighed, though she couldn't help glancing around as if she was worried that some cat - or some other creature - might have overheard. "But you're only six moons old," she pointed out. "How would you kill a beast like that?"</p><p>"She was killed by an apprentice in the story, remember?" Squirrelpaw didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "The smallest apprentice in RiverClan. If he could defeat her, I don't see why I couldn't!"</p><p>Leafpaw wanted to object, but she knew it would be no use. Squirrelpaw's confidence in herself was unshakable. Leafpaw knew it would get her into trouble one day.</p><p>For a while, they sat there in silence, letting the warmth of the sun sink into their pelts. Again, Leafpaw couldn't relax. Something felt wrong; even though it was a peaceful day, and Sunningrocks had been property of ThunderClan for many moons, she felt like she was being stalked by some unseen enemy. She opened her jaws slightly, trying to scent a RiverClan patrol, but only ThunderClan scent marks flooded her mouth.</p><p>"Do you think..." she began, the words coming out before she could stop herself. "Do you think she's still watching us?"</p><p>Squirrelpaw blinked at her, then shrugged nonchalantly. "I dunno. Why would she?"</p><p>For some reason, the feeling grew stronger. Leafpaw, now overcome with the urge to leave, got up and stretched her legs.</p><p>"Whatever," she said quickly, "I'm gonna head back to camp now. The sun's going down, anyway."</p><p>Squirrelpaw, obviously sensing her sister's fear, smiled comfortingly at her. "Alright, I'll come with you." Giving Leafpaw's ear a friendly lick, she added, "And don't worry. If that Banshee ever decides to give us trouble, I know we'll all be able to defeat her. That's what Clanmates are for."</p><p>Somehow, Leafpaw felt a bit reassured at Squirrelpaw's words, but she still felt that horrible twinge in the pit of her stomach. Squirrelpaw may have been confident in their safety, but Leafpaw was not. Right now, she wanted to get away from Sunningrocks as quickly as possible.</p><p>They left without another word, and all the while Leafpaw felt as if a pair of eyes were watching her from somewhere far away.</p>
<hr/><p>Try as she might, Leafpaw could not shake the feeling of being watched.</p><p>For the next few days, she dreaded going out to collect herbs, especially by the river. Even though she was sheltered by the canopy of trees that covered the forest, Leafpaw felt more exposed than ever next to the gurgling stream. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, as if the Banshee was lurking somewhere in the bushes, creeping up on her with every heartbeat. Of course, nothing ever came of this superstition, but the irrational part of Leafpaw's mind compelled her to keep looking.</p><p>One day, she was out collecting herbs by Sunningrocks again. She hated Sunningrocks most of all, especially since her talk with Squirrelpaw. She found it more difficult to concentrate here. She focused more on watching her step to make sure she didn't tread on the tiniest rocks, not wanting to desecrate the final resting place of the Banshee's kits.</p><p>In the early days of her apprenticeship, she had loved the vibrant colors of the trees in leaf-fall; in fact, she could hardly wait to go out and collect herbs just so she could admire the gorgeous sights. But now, with Squirrelpaw's story lingering in her mind, Leafpaw couldn't focus on the beautiful leaf-fall trees. At this point, she just wanted all the leaves to drop dead so she didn't have to worry about the beams of sunlight filtering through them, burning into her pelt like the glowing eyes of the Banshee.</p><p>Indeed, there was a gap in the leaves that allowed two narrow sunbeams to poke out into the shadowy forest, and Leafpaw nearly jumped when she saw them aimed directly at her. Her heart raced with terror, her fur stood on end, and for a moment she was paralyzed in what she thought was the Banshee's sinister glare. Then, Cinderpelt called her name, and Leafpaw snapped out of her trance long enough to look up and see the true source of the light. Shuddering, she forced her fur to lie flat and went over to speak with her mentor, trying to act as if nothing was wrong.</p><p>Cinderpelt's eyes brightened when she saw her apprentice, then narrowed in confusion. "Leafpaw, where are the herbs I asked you to collect? Weren't there any by the river?"</p><p>Leafpaw's pelt burned with embarrassment. She let a stupid story distract her from her medicine cat duties! How could she have been so mouse-brained? "I'm sorry, Cinderpelt," she stammered, "I must not have been looking hard enough. It's, um, difficult to see with the leaves on the ground."</p><p>Cinderpelt nodded sympathetically, though there was a hint of amusement in her expression. "Yes, it can be quite difficult looking for herbs in leaf-fall. Let's go back over there together, and I'll show you how to search through the leaves."</p><p>Leafpaw suspected her mentor knew something was scaring her, but neither of them said anything about it. Instead, they went back to the riverbank to look for herbs, which really were hidden underneath the leaves. Leafpaw was able to focus this time, though she still felt incredibly self-conscious. Turning her head ever so slightly, she found that the beams of light were still shining on her back, not unlike the Banshee's glimmering gaze.</p><p><em>It's just the sun, </em>she told herself, <em>don't be rabbit-brained. </em>Besides, the Banshee's eyes were supposed to be red, not golden. What kind of monster would have eyes that looked like the sun?</p><p>And yet, something in the back of her mind whispered that those were not sunbeams.</p>
<hr/><p>She awoke in the middle of a dark forest, darker than ThunderClan's territory at moonhigh. She looked around wildly, trying to make out her surroundings, but the only thing she could see clearly were tiny, glowing mushrooms sprouting from the ground. Leafpaw shuddered and backed up, suddenly feeling as if she were being watched. She shrieked when her back came into contact with a hard, scratchy surface, and turned around to come face-to-face with the tallest oak she had ever seen. Its trunk was wide, extending far beyond Leafpaw's limited field of vision.</p><p>She swallowed, turning around again to see if she could use the mushrooms' light to find her way. Unfortunately, the glow was too faint for her to see too far in front of her.</p><p>Suddenly, the sound of rustling bushes caught her attention, causing her fur to stand on end. She could feel eyes boring into her, and she knew they weren't friendly.</p><p>"S...Squirrelpaw?" she called weakly, hoping some cat she knew and trusted was around. "Cinderpelt? Sandstorm? Firestar?!"</p><p>No response. Leafpaw felt a chill creep along her spine. She was truly alone here--alone, except for whatever was lurking in the bushes, eyeing her up like she was a mouse.</p><p>Leafpaw knew she couldn't fight whatever was watching her. She was only an apprentice, and a medicine cat apprentice at that. She didn't have any warrior training. If that thing decided to attack her, she would be utterly defenseless.</p><p>She flinched again as the rustling grew louder and closer. Helplessly, she backed up against the tree, her claws sliding out. It was more of an instinctive move than a preparation for a fight, but she wanted to be at least somewhat prepared, even though she knew it would be hopeless.</p><p>"Leafpaw..." Came a low, smooth voice. "I've been waiting for you."</p><p>Leafpaw's eyes widened in fear as the creature that had been stalking her finally stepped out into the faint light of the mushrooms--no, not a creature, but a <em>cat.</em></p><p>Only this cat was more monstrous than any she had ever seen before. Even ShadowClan cats paled in comparison to the molly that stood before her, and suddenly the mushrooms had started to glow brighter, allowing Leafpaw to take in her horrendous form.</p><p>In life, she had most likely been a beautiful young tortoiseshell. But now, in this dark forest, she looked like a corpse with matted fur stuck to her like cobwebs. A large gash ran across her throat, smeared with dark, dried blood. Fresh crimson liquid coated her claws and muzzle, and a small, forked tongue slithered out to lick some of it off. She reeked of death, and she looked like it, too. Leafpaw had never known death outside of the fresh-kill she ate every day, but this cat was far from prey.</p><p>And her eyes; great StarClan, her eyes! They were not red after all, but golden. Thin golden pupils leered down at her from empty black eye sockets, and Leafpaw was immediately reminded of the sunlight poking out at her from between the leaves a few days ago. But this cat's eyes lacked the warmth of sunshine, burning instead with hostility and twisted amusement.</p><p><em>It's the River Banshee! </em>Leafpaw thought, horror clenching her heart like a set of claws. <em>Squirrelpaw's story was true!</em></p><p>She watched as the Banshee's mouth split into the widest smile Leafpaw had ever seen. More blood coated her sharp fangs, and every now and then that horrible forked tongue would slide out to flick itself mockingly at her.</p><p>When the Banshee spoke again, Leafpaw felt paralyzed by the sound of her voice. "Do you remember..." She leaned down to Leafpaw's level, her thin pupils boring into her. "...how many kits I had?"</p><p>Leafpaw's heart pounded furiously in her chest. She couldn't tear herself away from those eyes, from that wicked face, full of evil and hatred she had never known before. "Th...three?" she responded, her voice hardly more than a whisper.</p><p>The Banshee nodded, causing more blood to drip down her chin. "That's right," she said, and Leafpaw could hear mock encouragement in her voice. "Three kits. Three innocent, cursed kits."</p><p>Leafpaw's back burned with the sharp tree bark that she was now pressed up against, the Banshee's face mere mouse-lengths away from her own. Leafpaw wished she could shut her eyes or turn her head away, but she couldn't. Some force compelled her to look, to fix her eyes right on the Banshee's.</p><p>"Three," the Banshee repeated, "and all of them perished."</p><p>Leafpaw gasped as the ground beneath her paws turned from solid to liquid. Within seconds, the bark was gone, and she found herself flailing desperately as a strong current forced her away from the Banshee's malicious gaze.</p><p>"Do you have any idea how it felt?" The Banshee's voice was everywhere at once, even though Leafpaw couldn't see her anymore. "Reaching out to them, trying to save them? Knowing that StarClan had turned their backs on me forever?!"</p><p>Leafpaw couldn't respond. She coughed and spluttered, trying her hardest to keep her head above the water. The current was relentless, waves splashing against her face and stifling her breath. Her paws moved in every direction, scrabbling for some kind of footing. How did RiverClan cats swim so easily? Did they ever have to put up with stormy waters like this?</p><p>Leafpaw struggled and struggled, but eventually the waves became too much. She was barely able to suck in one last breath as her head was forced underwater, plunging her into complete darkness.</p><p>The Banshee's voice rang out again, somehow just as loud and clear as it had been above the water. "You're on your own!" she cried, her words cracking with rage. "No cat even wants to look at you, so you have to look out for yourself!"</p><p>Leafpaw turned around, her eyes widening. At the very bottom of the river were three small forms, completely still and distinctly kit-shaped. She reached out to them, opening her mouth to call their names (<em>What were their names? The story never mentioned any names. They were just nameless kits who were cursed to die in the river</em>). Instantly, water flooded her jaws, and she fought to cough it up. Her only reward was more water, soaking her throat, seeping down into her lungs, suffocating her once and for all.</p><p>"So you better hope, Leafpaw..." The Banshee sounded as if she was right next to Leafpaw's ear. "...that you don't end up like me."</p>
<hr/><p>Leafpaw woke with her legs flailing rapidly, as if she was still submerged in that dark river. She panted and coughed, expecting water to come flooding out of her mouth, only to be greeted with the cold night air rushing into her lungs. She didn't even realize tears were pouring down her face until she saw droplets hit the ground by her paws.</p><p>The response was immediate. Cinderpelt was by her side, blue eyes wide with concern as she prodded Leafpaw gently. "Leafpaw, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice firm. "It's okay, you're safe. You're in the medicine den. Sorrelpaw is here, too, remember?"</p><p>Leafpaw's heart, which had been thudding loudly in her chest, began to slow as she focused on the cat in front of her. She blinked tears away and watched her mentor's face become clearer. Her eyes darted to the other side of the den, where Sorrelpaw lay staring at her with a bewildered expression. Leafpaw's gaze flicked back and forth between the two cats, taking in her surroundings, reminding herself where she was.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Sorrelpaw asked. "That must have been some nightmare!"</p><p><em>A nightmare? </em>Something clicked in Leafpaw's mind. Had she been dreaming? Of course. She was in ThunderClan, with her mentor and friend. No River Banshee, no dead kits, no river coming to sweep her off her paws and fill her mouth and nose with filthy water. She was safe.</p><p>"I..." Leafpaw's voice sounded hoarse. "I think I'm okay now. But..." She couldn't get the image of the Banshee out of her mind. Her bloodstained claws, her ragged fur, those harsh golden eyes... "I did have a nightmare. A nightmare about the River Banshee."</p><p>Sorrelpaw, who had never been a believer in the story, seemed to relax a bit, but Cinderpelt still looked concerned. Sympathy clouded her gaze, and she gave the top of Leafpaw's head a reassuring lick. "I never should have teased you about that old story," she murmured. "I'm sorry."</p><p>Leafpaw felt a little embarrassed that her mentor was treating her like a kit, but part of her appreciated the warmth. "You only did it once," she responded. "It's Squirrelpaw who's been telling every cat in the Clan about it."</p><p>"I know," Cinderpelt sighed. "But I should have seen that you were shaken up about it." She leaned closer, nuzzling into her apprentice like a queen trying to calm her scared kit. "From now on, no more Banshee stories. Next time Squirrelpaw tries to tell you about it, say you don't want to listen. I'm sure she'll understand."</p><p>Leafpaw nodded. "Yes, Cinderpelt." She breathed in her mentor's scent, letting the smell of herbs calm her. She glanced over at Sorrelpaw and saw her friend smiling kindly at her. Though she couldn't move due to her recent leg injury, Leafpaw was certain that she would be sitting right beside her if she could. The thought comforted her even more. She was glad to have such supportive Clanmates.</p><p><em>It was all a dream, </em>she thought, <em>just a dream. There is no River Banshee. She can't hurt you.</em></p><p>"Feel better?" Cinderpelt asked, drowsiness creeping into her voice. Leafpaw just nodded, feeling too tired to speak. Cinderpelt yawned, resting her head above Leafpaw's and wrapping her tail around her. "Good. Just relax, okay? All of us are safe. StarClan watches over us, and they won't let anything bad happen to you."</p><p>With every word, Leafpaw felt more reassured. Her eyelids began to droop; Cinderpelt's warmth and the scent of the medicine den never failed to make her sleepy at this time of night. Leafpaw let out a yawn herself, nestled comfortably beside her mentor, feeling secure in knowing that her friends were all close by.</p><p><em>There is no River Banshee, </em>she thought again. <em>It was all a nightmare based on some stupid story.</em></p><p>Leafpaw took a deep breath, glancing up at the night sky to reassure herself. It had been cloudy earlier in the day, so Silverpelt would probably be partly obscured, but she didn't mind. She needed to know that StarClan was watching over her, that they would keep her Clan safe while she drifted into sleep.</p><p>One glance, and her eyes shot open. She was right - the clouds had covered most of Silverpelt, but not all of it. Leafpaw didn't know why, but a feeling of dread sank deep into her stomach as she looked at the three stars glittering above ThunderClan camp, shining brightly through the thick blanket of darkness.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>boy. leafpool and mapleshade have a lot in common dont they</p><p>also how many of u remembered that sorrelpaw got injured on the thunderpath and had to be held back from becoming a warrior bc i sure didnt. thanks warriors wiki</p></blockquote></div></div>
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